Guerlain Chicherit: “My motivation is to win” the Rally of Morocco

His choice to repaint, or rather "sticker" his BRX Hunter T1+ in the colors of the movie hero Mad Max should have given an indication as to Guerlain Chicherit's motivation on this Rally du Maroc 2022. The winner of the Silk Way Rally 2021 in the company of Alexandre Winocq did not intend to make the number in this penultimate round of the W2RC, the World Championship of rally-raid.

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By taking the lead in the general classification at the end of the third stage, the French entrepreneur-pilot recalled the good memories of the bivouac. “I am extremely satisfied but there are two days of racing left, he explained to us this Tuesday, October 4. I am not demobilizing. I clearly came here to win and to prepare for the 2023 Dakar (December 31-January 15). For once, I have a car on par with my competitors. If only for personal confidence, it's a good thing to do this competition. »

The co-founder of GCK Motorsport has reached an agreement with Prodrive to participate in the 2023 and 24 Dakar with the same 4×4 as the Bahrain Raid Xtreme team and Sébastien Loeb, while waiting for his hydrogen-powered 4×4 to be ready for the rally raid. Morocco serves as a trial run, for both the driver and his team.

“My goal was to reassure myself, to show that my peak speed was still there. From this side, I think it’s good”, laughs the 44-year-old driver as he sees his first position in the standings, ahead of his colleagues Orlando Terranova and Sébastien Loeb, who are more accustomed to driving the beast powered by a twin-turbo V6 of Ford origin. And again, we may not have seen everything!

We can't say it enough: don't photograph too close to the runners, er, drivers! © DPPI / J. Delfosse

“I found the right rhythm, pursues the former four-time freeride ski world champion. Frankly, we could go even faster. Really. If I have to look for a time, and I have to “set one”, I think I have some margin. Alex (Winocq) has the same feeling. He begins to gain confidence in navigation because he also has to adapt to the pace of the vehicle, which he did. »

The revival in 4×4

After spending five years away from the deserts due to his program in the World Championship of rallycross (World RX), already partly with Prodrive, Guerlain Chicherit had plunged back into rally-raid aboard a Century CR6 buggy on the Silk Way, then with a two-wheel drive of his own design for the Dakar 2022, the Thunder (on base of Peugeot 3008 DKR). Various mechanical problems forced him to retire but the pure speed was there (8th in the fifth stage).

After this ordeal, the observation of a technical regulation favoring four-wheel drive became too obvious to be ignored. Also, the child from Tignes was interested in the T1+ vehicle market, and the BRX Hunter was offered to him. Two days of private testing in Morocco, and here he is in the fight for victory in the specialty World Championship competition!
“The feeling is incredible, he rejoices. These 4×4 T1+ give the driver confidence, they are easy to drive. It seems like nothing can stop them... of course, there will inevitably be an obstacle that will slow you down! We're having a blast, I'm super happy and very relaxed in the car. This had never happened to me before. So far, I haven't had any heatstroke.

Guerlain Chicherit does not hide its pleasure to put its name back on the chessboard among the big clients of the rally-raid. “I have played sports all my life. My motivation is to win. We did everything necessary to be at our best in Morocco, with the goal of winning. Afterwards, do we have the level for that? We cannot know this until arrival. I need that motivation to put myself in the confrontational state necessary to be competitive.

Morocco is a big first step. The Dakar will be something else. If we leave Morocco without making too many mistakes, with speed maintained on all stages and a satisfactory result, we will have taken a step forward in the level of confidence. » And to move towards the debriefing of his team by launching: " Tomorrow (Wednesday), that’s where I’m going to attack! »